Boy risks his life to pull deer to safety

Good fawn-tune: The lucky baby deer is held above the water by strong swimmer Belal (Picture: Caters)

It’s a moment of touching drama to rival the best Walt Disney had to offer us in Bambi. A helpless fawn rises from surging water – thrust aloft by the arm of a brave rescuer.

The young deer owes its life to Belal, a boy in his early teens who plunged into a river to save it from being washed away.

Onlookers feared they might never see him again as he vanished into the torrent – until one hand punched out of the depths with the fawn in its grip.

Belal carried the deer to the bank in one hand (Picture: Caters)

‘The river was so full of water and it was high tide so we thought he might drown,’ said wildlife photographer Hasibul Wahab, who captured the scene. ‘My friend was even ready to jump into the river to save the boy – but he made it.’

The rescue took place in Noakhali, Bangladesh, when the young fawn became separated from its family as torrential rain swelled the river.

It is common for deer to be swept away in the rainy season and people often try to help, Mr Wahab was told. ‘It was a phenomenal sight,’ he added.